Hero
by BabyR3DbirD
Summary: The story begins with a betrayal and conspiracy; a plan to overthrow the King and a young swordsman who is caught in the middle. Years later, sinister shadows return, weaving a new tale of love, blood and the haunting of past lives. Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin and this my mix on the series. Please Read and Review. Rated M for adult themes.
1. Prologue

**Hi there! So recently, I've been inspired to repost and finish this story I had sitting in the database. It's my rendition on canon Rurouni Kenshin, so I hope you like it and please leave me some comments okay?**

* * *

_Origins: Ash and Blood_

The sky was tinged with smoke and embers licked at his face as he surveyed the damage. The estate was in flames, casting shadows like demons lurking in the dark, the residents running in a panic while the soldiers tried to contain the chaos. The night was dry; heat from the fire sucked the last of the moisture from his throat and the smell of blood permeated the atmosphere, leaving the stench in the air and thick on his tongue. It was all that Hiko Seijuro could taste and was enough to turn his mood as he looked away from the scene before him.

The Third Son- offspring of the current king's brother, and his estate was swallowed into the bowels of hell; no survivors save for a few handmaids and a cook. The noble family had been slaughtered in the burning home; the eldest son recently betrothed to a wealthy man's daughter. The sight was sure to be a black mark in the kingdom's ledger.

Suddenly a young boy, not even of age yet, was forced in front of him by his second in command bringing Hiko out of his thoughts. Informed this was the last perpetrator the squadron left alive, he looked down at the boy; his face was caked with dirt and blood as well as his hair, matted and soiled. A small wound graced his left cheek, the only damaged he appeared to have sustained, a feat no doubt. Blade still in his hand, the boy's eyes held no life and seemed detached; in his own world staring into a void.

"Boy," Hiko called. There was no answer. "Do you know what you have done? Do you know the crimes you have committed?" Silence again. He sighed before drawing his own blade in preparation. Though he was young, the weight his sins would not be excused by his naivety. At least the fear of death would coax some information from the child before he delivered judgement. "Who sent you to do this?" The boy never moved, seemingly resigned to his fate. Sighing once more, Hiko turned the sword in his hand and stood at the ready. "Kneel." To Hiko's surprise the boy did as he was told, the movement was so inhumanly quiet it fascinated him; even his finest soldiers couldn't pull that off.

It was in this moment that Hiko summed up the figure in front of him; truly no wounds save for the cheek, the blade was fine and true, free of any chips or damage suggesting it hadn't been used much. His clothes were tattered, fitted a bit too small for his frame, and then there was his wrist, which seemed burned and rubbed raw, a small band of pink skin circulating around indicative of being shackled for a long time.

'_A slave' _Hiko thought. Realization setting in, he lowered his blade; the boy was a mindless servant, nothing more than a tool or a pawn for the ones orchestrating tonight's events. He had seen the slave trades implemented in the west; children torn from their families and made into assassins, toys, and other entertainments for the paying man. The current king adopted these ideas and many were trafficked into the kingdom over the years. This one before him was broken in at an early age, and for the first time in his life Hiko took pity on someone.

A sound of affirmation left him as Hiko put away his weapon, earning the confused look of his subordinate.

"This one is coming with us," he spoke. The second in command opened his mouth to protest, but was interrupted. " Boy," Hiko addressed the child who neither looked up or gave any indication he was aware of how close to death he was a moment ago. "I have spared you and in doing so, bought you from the pits of hell. Your life is mine and I shall make you into what I see fit. If you wish otherwise, I shall cut you down here and now." Hiko thumbed his blade, readying his swiftest technique if the young one chose the latter option. His second protested again, inquiries of treacherous behavior and spy relations thrown towards the child in disgust, and implored his commander to end it. However Hiko knew the truth of the situation; someone wanted to wipe out all of the Third Son's family and used slaves to do so, knowing that when the King's Guard arrived they would crush them with no remorse. There were no other orders given to these slaves for the orchestrators didn't intend for anyone to survive. The boy was supposed to die here tonight.

Instead, the child finally looked up. Acceptance.

"Good," Hiko said and dismissed his second. He then grabbed the boy and pulled him to his feet, taking note that he felt of skin and bone and for him to wield a blade was again impressive. The weight of it should've snapped his wrists. "From today on, you are my sword and my shield. You answer to me and me alone. If you stray from the path I set, you will repent with your life." He stared the boy down and his eyes held something other than the blank void of death.

"I understand, Master."

* * *

_Origins: Lover__ and Betrayer_

Fate and Fortune never smiled upon him. His master had taught him to carve his own path, never let the gods decide, and for the first time in his life he felt he was living that truth.

Marriage had never really been an option, it still wasn't now, but all of that was to change soon. The first time he saw her, the woman dressed in white, he had been unable to take his eyes off her; like a goddess she stood in the rain of blood he created, her dress soaking up the red, but it was her eyes that got him. Deep and dark eyes full of sorrow, pity, and acceptance. Right then and there he was smitten. Nothing but an assassin, nothing to his name other than death, he offered it all up to her; swearing by the gods that his life was hers, the second time he had made such a deal. However she was already promised; from birth her fate had been decided and she was to marry a childhood friend, who she fond of.

His master spoke of women once; that falling in love would be the death of him, the one fight he would never win, and forbade him from succumbing to it's spell. Already broken hearted this would've become a reality until that night under a full moon the woman in the white dress returned and broke her vow- declaring she could no longer ignore her heart and gave into the feelings he created in her. They would elope the next he returned from the war and this new promise was sealed in the throes of passion. She had asked him to stay, yet his sense of duty would not allow him to.

With another lingering kiss, it would be a month before he saw her again.

Now he was standing at the gates of his last obstacle, the last order before he would be free from his shackles for good. Many of his comrades had fallen before he reached this point, their enemy was much more prepared than originally assumed. Yet he stood ready to breach the walls of the fortress, even if he had to do it alone.

The castle rose high- a testament to it's master's arrogance, no doubt, a bleak and desolate thing that would be a fitting grave for the man currently occupying it. The Manslayer's master had demanded he sit the rebellion out, to find a better use for his sword, but how could he when the man who sat on the throne was a tyrant and threaten the people? When the royal family line were of the same like minded taint? The tyrant king's brother, the lesser of two evils, was a better fit for the kingdom and its people so the war began and he threw himself in the middle of it. In a short time he became the Red Dragon, leader of the Crimson Guard, the spear of the rebellion.

The war tore through the kingdom like a plague, for the enemy knew no restraint even against its own kin, but after years of bloodshed, it was finally coming to an end. Makoto Shishio, the last surviving heir to the tyrant king would meet his downfall tonight, and the Red Dragon, the Manslayer would disappear. It was the only thing on his mind as he carved through the underlings of Shishio's guard, tearing through the many floors until he reached the grand hall. There he was, his prey, sitting on a throne of gold smiling as if he'd won some game, a smile that would be wiped soon enough.

"Well done young dragon. You most certainly live up to your reputation," Shishio spoke taking a sip of his drink.

"I don't have time for talk. If you have something to say, say it with your blade," he readied himself. Shishio laughed, a genuine bellow as if he was truly enjoying himself, before he rose to his feet- then Manslayer had just enough time to parry the first attack from his enemy. Shishio was much faster, brutal, and clever than anticipated, yet he would not let himself yield.

"Young dragon!" He called between attacks. "Do you know what scent I love the most?" The Manslayer ignored Shishio's attempts at a distraction. "Jasmine and plum blossoms," he sneered. It invoked the image of his lover and all it took was a second of a lapse in concentration. Shishio's distraction worked as his blade skirted off an untimed parry and sliced into the dragon's arm. Separating Shishio backed away, confusing the young swordsman, and called to someone waiting in the shadows. Strange he could not sense their presence beforehand yet fear jumped into his throat when he took in who it was. It was the first time he had felt an emotion like that; his skin prickled with a cold sweat and the hairs on his neck stood up as his lover stepped next to Shishio with a grace only she held. What was she doing here, how dare this false king play these dirty tricks and if he wasn't absolute before, Makoto Shishio was definitely a dead man now.

Then, like a snake, the man began spinning a tale; one of night fires, a royal estate in flames, a boy who killed a woman's betrothed, and the woman who would betray her lover in vengeance. Thus when the Red Dragon died, Shishio would be king along with the woman as his bride. The story nearly made the Red Dragon drop his sword. It was unbelievable, none of it could be true; the love of his life, plotting his very death from the beginning? He killed her husband? Shishio was poised to make her his queen?

The Manslayer didn't have much time to stew in this revelation as Shishio struck again, this time with increasing fervor. If the plan was to shake the dragon's core, it was working as he faltered and took another hit from his enemy's blade.

What did she think of him now? What did he think of her? No, he would settle the matter of Shishio first, then the rest. Rage filled him and he resumed his onslaught with new resolve. To think that this man would use his lover as a pain point... his anger boiled over and he was seeing red.

Sparks flew away as steel hit steel with earth shattering friction. The duel was intense, bone shattering and left his ears ringing from the sound of blades clashing over and over, and after what seemed like eternity he landed a fatal hit and disarmed the would be king.

Before he could deliver the final blow a small noise, fleeing footsteps, caught his attention and he looked up to see dark hair disappearing into a corridor. The kill left his mind as he gave chase and cornered her at the top of the watchtower. He could see the pain in her eyes, the confusion and then hatred all rolled into one. The smell of smoke hung in the air and embers rose in the distance- the rebellion below had set fires to the castle and now was the time to escape, but she had other ideas. A glint of steel, the blade caught the moonlight and then she was on him, tears streaming from her eyes and hysteria on her face. She had landed a blow on his scarred cheek and in reflex to the pain he shoved her back, her tumble hard and bruising he could tell, but it was her eyes that got him. Dead and lost, like he had been that fateful day his master took him as his charge. She wasn't fighting to win now, she wanted him to kill her and he would not.

"Tomoe," he spoke softly. She hadn't uttered a word since they entered the tower, and he wanted to hear her voice more than anything now. Even if she hated him, he wanted to hear her say it. But she didn't and simply charged at him again, swinging her blade wildly. He called out to her, trying to break her disillusionment, stating what she wanted he would not give. He didn't have to; in the moment he was completely off guard and hadn't even realized what was happening until she grabbed the sharp of his blade and threw herself upon it. Catching her in his arms, she reached up and touched the wound she had placed there, whispering apologies for marring his face again. He was lost, couldn't understand what was happening before him, what events had led them here. Had he stayed the night she asked him to, would she still be alive? Would she smile for him, the way she used to? She was speaking, though he couldn't hear over the sound of his own heartbeat thrumming in his ears. A sad smile graced her lips, her hand fell away limp, and sigh left her before she wasn't breathing anymore.

A cry, the sound of a dragon's roar, rang out through the battlefield frightening the men below and was quickly replaced by victory screeches upon Shishio's body being discovered.

In the aftermath of what would be known as the Kings War, a new ruler was named; any loyalists were executed or exiled into the wastelands. A woman, distant kin to the tyrant king was put to death for treason while her husband escaped with their child in the night. In lieu of the new regime the Crimson Guard was decommissioned and the Red Dragon took up a new vow of penance and atonement; he would never kill again.

_..._

* * *

**So that's it! Second chapter to follow soon so stay tuned! Thanks again for reading, and let me know what u think!**


	2. Chapter One

**Hi there! First chapter here, let me know what you think and enjoy!**

* * *

_Indigo and Amethyst_

_'It's too hot for this,'_ Kaoru thought. Wiping sweat from her brow, she looked around for her little orphan boy brother, but hadn't heard so much as a peep from him in the last three hours. Typical. Sure he came to her for food and lodging, but the minute there was work to be done, he was either sleeping somewhere or had disappeared into the town. Just typical. There was too much to be done around here; the wood for the fires, the chicken coop needed cleaning, the land needed hoeing and picking, not to mention how much dust had collected in the house... If only she had a man around...

_'Yeah right Kaoru,'_ she interrupted her own train of thought. Who would want to marry her anyway? The poor farm girl who didn't even have a house name to offer up? Even the orphan boy had one to himself, while she...

This day in age, a family name was everything. It tied them back to the Kings of old, a symbol of the bloodline and heritage that ran through the people. It wasn't something one could change or decide on a whim; records were kept of every name that existed, and even a poor family could rise to a noble status with just a name. Without it, the person was no better than a slave.

Sighing she lifted the axe above her head again to finish the wood chopping; if she or the orphan boy wanted a warm meal and a bath it was gonna have to get done somehow. The dull blade whizzed through the air and with a sound pop the log piece split in two before her name being called had her spinning around. Yahiko Myojin came bounding up the hill toward her, a grin plastered on his face. She dropped the axe and placed her hands on her hips.

"Where have you been?!" She launched into a lecture. "I understand you have things you like to do in town, but you can't go running off when you haven't even done your chores!"

Yahiko threw his hands up in defense. "Hold on lady-"

"That's master to you, you ungrateful little cretin! How many times do I have to tell you?"

"Just listen ugly-" a swift rap on the head had him biting his tongue. If there was one thing she didn't like, it was being called ugly. Bad enough she had no family name but to say she was ugly too? Cruel!

"Would ya just listen?!" Yahiko shouted rubbing his head. Kaoru bent down, grabbed a log piece to give her pupil a lesson in manners before he offered up a bag. "Takeda was back in town, and I managed to snag this off his carts!" He said triumphantly. Kaoru gave him a look of disbelief, but took the sack anyway to examine the contents. Inside was an assortment of cheeses and meat of a fine quality and fresh cut; the smell of it had Kaoru's stomach growling so loud it was deafening. It had been weeks since they had anything other than the small fish from the river near the farm and a few vegetables- gods did these gems look delectable.

Kaoru shook her head, willing the hunger pangs away. "Hold on, you stole these from Takeda? Lord Kanryuu Takeda?" Yahiko gave her a toothy grin before she smacked it off. "Yahiko! It's bad enough you end up in brawl fights with that Sanosuke, but to steal too?! This is not what you should've learned from my teachings-"

"What does it matter anyway?!" The boy looked up at her teary eyed and rubbed his cheek. "That guy's got more than anyone else around here and he walks around like he owns us! So what we take a little for ourselves?! I'm tired of living in the slums while guys like that get everything!" His outburst surprised her and she was unable to say any words of comfort before he took off back down the hill.

Yahiko had been an orphan from birth, left on the local tavern doorstep and nothing but a note in his cradle stating his full name when her late father took him as his charge. He grew up knowing nothing of his real family, so for all purposes he was her younger brother and when their father passed away it was hard on both of them. The disease struck fast and without warning that no doctor was able to cure it, only suppress the symptoms in his final days.

The struggle to keep the farm going was a heavy burden to bear and now the toll was weighing on the boy. Perhaps she had been too harsh. Yahiko was still young and didn't know much about the world, but that didn't make his actions excusable. Kanryuu was a dangerous man, the lord of the closet estate in the east and held a monopoly on the trade in the area, effectively making him the ward of this region. All taxes were paid to him as the King and Royal Guard barely took notice of the small fishing town. The only reason the farm stayed out of trouble was that few people knew it existed and it could grow little save for roots, grain and corn. If Kanryuu knew of what transpired in the markets today, their home would surely be burned to the ground, Yahiko would become a slave and she that man's whore.

A shiver ran down Kaoru's back at the thought before she glanced back down at the bag, deciding she better salt the meat before it was too late, and that she should make something tasty to soothe her brother while she lectured him again.

xxx

Dinner was prepared, the table set up neatly and Yahiko still wasn't home. It was a few hours before dark, so Kaoru set out with her horse, a beautiful bronze mare, to find her brother. Riding at a trot she headed to the ports, knowing that was usually his favorite spot to hang out. However there was no sign of him. Even checking at the local tavern held no leads, but she decided to check one other spot; the mouth of the river leading to the ocean. It was the spot her father used to take them fishing when they wanted bigger catches, with the estuaries being full of sea life. Nowadays she would often find Yahiko there staring out into the bay or fishing the way they used to.

Kaoru doubled back and pushed the horse faster, hoping he wasn't in some sort of trouble again when on the sandy banks she discovered a figure half submerged in the rushing water. Blood tinted the clear and she could see the body had sustained much damage; wounds ran along the arms and chest, color drained from the cheeks, and the clothes were tattered. It was a frightening sight, a dead man sitting there and she moved closer- _oh gods he was breathing!_

Jumping down, nearly hurting herself in the process, she rushed to him and pulled him up before he drowned. He was cold, his breathing was shallow and he was definitely alive, but for how much longer she couldn't tell. A strange injury marred his right shoulder, where he was losing a great deal of blood, and it wasn't something she had ever seen before. Looking out towards the bay she wondered where he could've come from; there hadn't been any reported shipwrecks in town, and there was no way he could've survived at sea this long...

She shook her head and cast aside those questions; time was short and she needed to get him to a doctor now! Tearing a strip from her tunic, she tied the shoulder wound off and murmured apologies for the pain she was sure it caused. Whistling for her horse, she coaxed it to kneel down and did her best to get the man aboard without causing the body anymore strain, briefly surprised when the mare accepted the strange weight without fuss. The longsword strapped to his waist made it difficult to steady him atop the horse- a wonder the blade hadn't been washed away yet, so she undid the ties and fastened it to herself before sliding off her own cloak to cover him for warmth, then started back to the farm posthaste.

Kaoru hoped she wasn't jostling him around too much, going as quickly as she could back home. While she could've taken him into town, the farm was closer to the river mouth and the sooner she could get him off the horse and to stable ground the better. She finally reached the farm gate and began calling for Yahiko, hopefully he was home now.

To her relief he came strolling out of the house. "Listen Kaoru if you're gonna yell at me some more you can just shov-"

"Get Megumi!" She all but screamed. It shocked Yahiko still. "Someone's hurt and needs a doctor!" The boy could see a figure thrown the back of the horse as she made her way up the path, and he looked to be dead already. "Hurry!" She cried again breaking him out of his stupor. He took off running as quickly as he could, grabbed his horse and was off in the night.

Kaoru got the man inside, it helped that he was lighter than he looked, and rested him on the one carpeting she had in the house. She knew it couldn't have been comfortable, but forget trying to carry dead weight any further to the bedrooms, and she was sure dragging him would've only added to the damages he already had. Right now her number one priority was to stem the bleeding and keep him warm so she ran to the closets, grabbed as much linen as she could carry, and did her best to cover him up. Next was the fireplace which she lit a grabbed the pot since she was sure Megumi would need hot water.

Kaoru was dabbing the man's face clean when the sound of hooves filtered in from the open window, Megumi came through the door, her cloak fluttering with the rushed movement, and she knelt beside the man to check his vitals.

"Where did you find him?" Megumi asked in disbelief. Kaoru brought the water and towels set them next to her.

"At the mouth of the river, in the estuaries," Kaoru turned away, flushing as the doctor wasted no time in disrobing the man and threw the tattered wet clothes aside, leaving him completely bare. She could never be a doctor if she blushed everytime a man got naked and she didn't understand how Megumi could be so focused as if she didn't notice.

"Fever hasn't set in yet, and his wounds look free of debris, but he's still not past the worst of it. The one on the shoulder is particularly..." she trailed off. It piqued Kaoru's interest, but the doctor quickly changed the subject. "Good on you for finding him," she spoke in that sultry tone of hers. "Moments longer and he would've died right there." There was no doubt in Kaoru's mind about that one.

The doctor was quick in her profession, patching him up as if she was sewing a doll or shirt. Megumi Takani came from a long line of surgeons and healers dating back to the birth of the kingdom. There wasn't a person alive who didn't know of the Takani name in some form or fashion, however the strong bloodline had dwindled to one heir. The long battle ten years ago, the King's War, had called upon the noble family to serve on the front lines, yet they were left unprotected and all but the daughter were cut down. Megumi had survived and fled to this small town, away from the blistering chaos the kingdom found itself in and it was only now, in this new era of peace, that she finally came forward and let her name be known.

Kaoru wiped a year from her eye as the reccount on the woman's past always made her a bit sad. _'Seemed as though everyone had a rough upbringing',_ she thought and glanced back down at the swordsman.

Megumi finished and wiped her brow before she retired for the night. Kaoru had offered her a room but the doctor had declined, mentioning having to get certain medicines to prevent the fever and that she would return at first light to administer them. Kaoru was told to keep him warm and take note of any discoloration or labored breathing and she nodded her head, accepting the task before Yahiko escorted the doctor home. The door closed and she turned back to the man who was now neatly covered in the linens; the color seemed to be miraculously returning to his cheeks and he no longer felt cold and clammy to the touch as Kaoru washed the sweat away once more.

Quiet, calm set in and Kaoru took the moment to untie the sword and set it up in the corner of the room; she had forgotten it was still fixed to her waist, the weight of it comfortable and now that it was gone she felt almost naked. Looking back down at the sleeping figure, and without prying eyes, Kaoru allowed herself a full observation of the sleeping man as she rested on her knees beside him.

His hair was a strangely brilliant vermillion, explaining why she originally thought he was bleeding out earlier, long and full- she had to stop herself from touching it. Gods forbid he woke up or Yahiko returned and she had her fingers in a stranger's hair. Fanning away those thoughts, she continued her examination. Moving onto his face, it was strained; a sweat broke out on his forehead again. She took the rag and washed it away, noting how his features softened. His skin was free of blemishes, save for one x shaped scar on his cheek and there were barely any hard lines or creases indicating he couldn't have been much older than herself.

_'Not that it matters, Kaoru,'_ she chastised herself again. He was handsome, almost beautiful and a mix of emotions ran through her- how could a man be so pretty? The Gods where truly unjust.

Now she was at his chest; scars littered the flesh and she wondered just who this man was? What could he have seen, or been trough to leave such markings? Tales of a brave, long lost prince, epic battles and a beautiful heroine, filled her mind as she tried to decipher the stories behind each scar. It fascinated her as they ran from his chest down- Kaoru flushed again looking away.

No one was home, and he was unconscious... there was no way anyone would find out right? She was eighteen- past proper marrying age, no last name so she wouldn't even be a marriage candidate... this was probably her one and only chance to witness the thing they called... manhood... so she should take it.

Her fingers moved to the linens, she gripped them lightly and began to lift away. 'No one has to know,' she thought...

She couldn't do it. Quickly covering him back up, she swallowed the impure thoughts and took a few breaths to calm herself. Just then Yahiko came bursting through the door.

"Megumi's home safe, and I put the horses away-" he stopped and took in her blushing visage. "What were you doing?" He asked. Kaoru's pink darkened as a knowing smile spread across Yahiko's face, earning him a swift smack.

* * *

"When is he gonna wake up?"

"I don't know, Megumi said it could be another day before he does."

"He's been sleeping for four days already!"

"You get hurt that badly and see how long you sleep for!"

"So you've got a strange man unconscious in your house? Bold of you Kaoru."

"It's not like that! He was dying and I couldn't leave him there."

"You should've seen her the first day, nearly raped him in his sleep!" _-Smack-_ "Ow! What the hell you do that for?!"

"Quiet or you'll wake him up!"

The voices were getting louder and clearer as he rose to the surface of sleep. Sunlight beamed through the curtains, making him aware of the throbbing in his head as he peeled one eye open at a time. Gone was the stuffy musk of the ship, replace with a warm, clean air and the smell of bread. Awake now his nerves on edge his eyes darted around and landed on his blade tucked neatly in the corner, waiting for him, and he allowed himself to sit up a bit. Muscles ached and bones creaked with the movement, he'd been asleep a long time, but his shoulder was the worst of it. The throbbing made the headache worse and rubbed his eyes before noticing the room in full now; he could feel the wooden cot underneath the linen he laid on, though they tried to balance it out with a feathered sack under his head. It was nicer than the damp, molding cabins of the ship that it was. The fireplace was lit though it had died to embers now and a small bucket of water rested nearby with a rag tinged slightly pink. Looking down at himself, he took in the fresh bandages and surmised that his healer must have just changed them. Flashes of bright lights, salt water, and jasmine came to mind as he tried to recall what events led him to this situation. Where was his clothes?

"Ah! You're awake!" A young, dark skinned boy stood in the doorway, crossed his arms and stared him down. "Oi, Kaoru! He's up!" Footsteps rushed to the door and in peaked a raven haired woman. Her skin was fair, making her hair that much darker like ink, which she wore high and tied off with a thin blue ribbon. Then her eyes; swirling blue bringing a sense of calm over him like he had never felt. He was lost in their depths that he hadn't even noticed she was talking.

"oro?"

"I asked if you felt faint? Do you feel well enough to sit up?" Concern graced her features and she told the boy to fetch water. "You must be thirsty," she smiled gently. Her proximity brought him painful things he thought he'd never reminisce on again- the scent of plum blossoms and jasmine.

"We moved you here, to be more comfortable. Don't worry, your blade is there in the corner, though it's okay, you're safe with us." Her smile was true and there was no lie in her words, that he could tell. "If you want to, there's hot water for a bath. I can redress your wounds when you're done. Your clothes..." she trailed off, biting her lip. "Well anyway I have something that might fit you, and I can go into town later if need be," she stood up and made her way back to the door. Pink lips parted to say something else when suddenly there was a booming voice coming down the hall.

"Ah! Nothing like a hot meal and bath, eh Kaoru?" A tall man appeared beside her, his shirt undone and hair dripping with water. He threw his arm on the woman's- apparently this 'Kaoru,' shoulders and gave her a grin.

"Hey! That water is for our guest! This isn't a inn you know," she turned her nose up at him.

"Oh yeah, the mysterious swordsman you found in the dead of night," he said staring him down. That was the second time and he was starting to feel that they were protective of this woman, not that he planned to do anything to her. This man here must be her husband. "Hey you," the tall figure addressed him, " make sure you do right by our Kaoru, or it's your ass." He cracked his knuckles, a loud series of pops before disappearing, whistling a tune the redhead was unfamiliar with.

"Don't mind him. He's just trying to intimidate you," she smiled.

"Consider me intimidated, that I am," he replied, his throat scratching and burning. Her eyes widened and he realized he hadn't uttered a word since waking up. Suddenly she giggled. "oro?" Had he said something funny?

"Forgive me. I just thought you were mute or something." She bit her lip again, he vaguely wondered if she was aware that she was doing it, "Yahiko will be back with water and to show you to the bath. If you need anything, let me know," and with that she disappeared down the hall.

As she said, the boy returned with water; the feeling of the cool liquid going down did wonders to settle the inflammation in his chest and he finished the cup before he knew it. Taking the trousers offered to him he followed the boy to a small room with a wash tub, bucket, chair and screen- the only adornments inside. Left to his own devices, the tub called his name and he ached to wash away the past few days in the steaming liquid.

The bath water was still hot and smelled of an herbal tonic; it soaked deep into his bones and seemed to revitalize him. He washed his hair and scrubbed his skin where he could without pain a few times as he tried to sort though his memory. Who were these people? What region of the kingdom was he in? Better yet, who was it that attacked his ship?

He remembered an ambush, the enemy... they were waiting for the crew in the fog, the sound of a whistle, a flash of bright light smashed into him, then... nothing.

Deep in thought, he could've fallen asleep in soothing water, but thought better of it before stepping out and dressing himself in the tunic she put out for him. It fit slightly bigger than his normal attire, but the fabric was soft and breathable- great care was taken in making it. The hum of voices could be heard and it brought a smile to his lips; this family had been more generous than he had ever hoped for and sincerely wished he could repay their kindness, though the least he could do was slip away and not cause them any more trouble.

A knock on the door broke his inner ramblings. "Sir Swordsman?" The soft voice called. "I thought I might help you to dress your wounds. May I come in?" He quickly crossed the space and opened the door, earning himself a bright smile. In her hands was a basket containing an assortment of bandages, tonics and ointments leaving him to wonder how badly had he been injured. Moving to let her in, he grabbed the chair from the corner of the room and set himself up. "Do you need help removing your garment?" She asked quieter than before. She must have been uncomfortable and he decided to take it off himself. In hindsight, he wished he'd never put it on.

"I can manage that I can." He pulled the fabric up over his head and winced with the movement, thankful that his back was to her so she could see it. As he shifted his hair to one side- minor thoughts of cutting crossed his mind, the sound of a bottle popping open rang out in the room and that same herbal smell from the tub filled his nose. He was glad to at least be free of the jasmine that wafted off of her.

"Um, let me know if I'm too rough," she said before delicate fingers gingerly applied the ointment to his skin. He was hit with that bone draining feeling again, and coupled with the slight movements of her fingertips, he was bound to fall asleep if she continued. "You must think me strange," she broke the silence, "To bring home someone I don't know, in the dead of night..."

"Not at all," he turned to give her a reassuring smile, "If not for you this one would've died there on the riverbank. Truly I'm forever in your debt Miss Kaoru." Returning to his original position, hoping she'll continue the musings over his flesh, the room grew quiet again and he wondered if he had said too much before her hands ghosted over him again this time applying the bandages. She moved to his shoulder and repeated the process.

"You know, it's custom to give your name to your rescuer, especially if you know theirs." This had put him in an awkward situation. While he was indeed grateful for the hospitality these people offered, he had no intention of staying long enough that his name would become a topic of discussion. There was too much history and violence in his name and title that shouldn't grace the ears of innocent folk like these, nor did he want it to. In this day in age a name was your blood tie; customs were that you gave it without haste as it determined who you were. He had been out of proper company so long he'd forgotten his manners and now they were being called into question. All the same, he really didn't want to answer.

Her hand on his good shoulder had him turning to look at her and a delicate fingertip poked him in his cheek as he moved. "oro?" This sent her into a fit of unceremonious laughter, causing him more confusion that she waved off.

"It's fine, it's fine," she said in between fits. "Forgive me, I just couldn't help myself." Her laughter died down as she bent to collect the medical supplies. "It's fine, really, if you don't want to tell me. Around here... everyone is from all walks of life. We don't pry, we don't judge. Besides," she looked to him with a sense of smugness, "I'm a pretty good at character reading and you don't seem like a person to cause trouble so..." They were silent again; she bit her lip as if she wanted to say more, but thought better of it, before she made the first move for the door. He was tugging on his shirt again went she spoke up. "The doctor who helped you will be joining us for dinner tonight, if you want to say thanks, so don't go running off okay, Sir Swordsman?"

"Kenshin." She turned to him wide eyed- an expression she'd given him a lot today. " Kenshin Himura," he smiled.

...

* * *

**Thx for reading! Will post next chapter as soon as I can. See u next time!**


	3. Chapter Two

**Hey guys, thanks for waiting and sorry it took so long, but here it is, enjoy!**

* * *

_Calm_

Years ago, standing on the front lines of chaos might have been where you found him. Killing, the art of being able to kill- the feeling of the blade slicing through flesh. Without a firm hand the blade would skirt of bone, never making a clean cut. Without finesse of the wrist, the strike would be slow and wavering. If you were going to kill, you would have to be committed. Innocent souls would never understand the thought; having to detach yourself from life in order to take one.

That was his mistake in his early days. Ignorance plagued him- he wished he'd listened to his master, as he was under the impression that he was allowed to have happiness and take it at the same time... a price she paid with her life. He made the choice to give it up, her death being the last straw.

Now, with the war over and his garrison scattered to the winds Kenshin's sentence was supposed to be death, to leave no ties between his marks and the new King. What they did in those days- the assassinations and lies; if the knowledge was made public it would shake the very foundation the new regime was built upon. Many men who served in the war never made it back home, either dying on the battlefield or sentenced to death under the crimes of treason. However, Kenshin was pardoned so long as he continued to serve the kingdom's needs. He retained his rank and title, yet on his own condition that he would remain apart of the Court as an emissary of sorts, not the assassin the king wanted him to be. He sought peaceful means of protecting the kingdom; his atonement to his first love and for his sins. It was why he was across the sea acting as a representative to the western lands when his ship was attacked upon return.

Which brought him to his current situation. Kenshin wasn't sure why he told Kaoru at all and he was hoping she wouldn't recognize it from the stories of his legacy, but when she repeated his name then smiled he knew it was unfamiliar to her, letting relief wash over him.

They were nice people, she saved his life and it might have caused more problems if he hadn't said anything. Still, it was comforting to know that his past endeavors hadn't reached her ears.

After Kaoru finished dressing his wounds and gave him fresh bread for breakfast, she told him where he was found and how long he had been asleep. He spent four days laid up in the cot, and there was fear he wouldn't wake up. The wound on his shoulder had nearly given him fever, yet thanks to his doctor he still walked with the living. The town name she gave wasn't familiar to him, he suspected that they were a long ride from the kingdom's capital, and she made no mention of anyone else washing ashore. Kenshin assumed he was the only one to survive and that left the question of who would attack a marked royal trade ship and why...

Kaoru asked if he remembered anything, and while he didn't lie, he only gave the small details of being a wanderer and his ship that met an unfortunate end. She seemed to buy that story before leaving him to his musings and allowed him to wander the grounds, on his word he wouldn't take off somewhere, while she and the others went into town to fetch ingredients for dinner. Though he did want to thank the doctor for saving his life, he had no idea what power Kaoru had to make him unable to refuse her these things, when in reality he should've been on his way; maybe it was her charming smile. She was a beautiful woman and there was no wonder he thought she was spoken for; a conversation that made him a laughing stock before he was informed that Kaoru and the tall man's- Sanosuke he remembered, relationship wasn't that of a lover type and Yahiko was her adoptive brother.

Kenshin would never admit it, but a part of him felt inclined to scold her on trusting men so easily- as she left him in her home unsupervised. It wasn't just her, but whole household seemed that way; ready to accept him as he was without question... it made him question them... and maybe he had spent too long at war that he was constantly looking over his shoulder.

Still, there was a warm feeling Kenshin couldn't deny and he found comfort in the clean air of the farm; the lightness with a hint of salt from the sea and as it brushed by it gave him a sense of freedom. Like whatever burdens he had could float away on the breeze.

The ranch was humble yet had a sense of elegance, and was nestled in a patch of wilderness, resting on the peak of the hills. There was the house, a chicken coop, the stable with two horses, and a large clearing with a small garden. Somewhere in the distance Kenshin could hear rushing water; the sound of a nearby river.

The house was large enough for a decent sized family; four bedrooms and a peculiar study, housing a large bookshelf and table with a single map centered on it. While he browsed the legend, he couldn't discern the town's exact position from the capital and it gave him an unsettled feeling. He needed to know where he was and report to the King.

Kenshin felt the urge to venture into the town for clues strongly, but he thought better of it as that would be unwise in his weakened state and found himself outside again staring into the fields and wilderness that surrounded the farm, absent mindedly rubbing the scars on his cheek. Taking a deep breath, he shrugged his arm out of the sling and rotated the shoulder. It hurt like hell, and he surmised it would take at least a week before he could wield his sword again, which left him in a difficult situation as he did not want to burden Kaoru, but the thought of enemies lurking in the shadows had him on edge. Information was what he needed, but for now he would lie low, learn the land and bide his time.

xxx

It was approaching dusk when they returned, Kenshin sat out on the wooden end strip from the house since he decided that would be more appropriate than making himself at home inside the house, and now there was another woman in tow; the doctor perhaps?

He stood from his perch to greet them with a courtesy bow- a small tilt of his head.

"Welcome back Miss Kaoru," he spoke. "May I help you with that?" He asked. In her arms she cradled a basket with an assortment of goods. She shook her head and gave the basket to Yahiko, who carried it inside.

"That's quite alright Kenshin, Yahiko can handle it," she smiled. He didn't get to enjoy it long enough before Sanosuke stepped in front of her, setting a large barrel down, and gave a toothy grin.

"Got the good stuff right here! How about it? What's say you and me go a few rounds?" There was a twinkle in his eye, the idea of competition lighting a fire in the brutish man.

Kenshin held up a hand and shook his head vigorously. "I-I couldn't possibly-"

"Don't be so barbaric," the other woman said, swatting at Sanosuke's arm. She was graceful- her hair dark and pale skin gave her a porcelain doll appearance, held her head high and had an air of superiority about her. Nobility ran through her blood, he could tell. "Sir Ken," she spoke, giving him a smile. "I'm Megumi Tanaki. The doctor who saved your life."

"Tanaki?" He repeated, stunned. He hadn't heard the name in years and as far as he knew the family line had perished in the war, however he had heard a rumor that the youngest daughter survived and was in a rural town on the outskirts of the border. This had to be her. His initial thought was she would recognize him, from the stories and accounts of her relatives, but she would have been young, no more than ten years and hopefully she remembered nothing. "It's no wonder that I'm still alive considering your parentage. Thank you for what you've done for me," he bowed again.

She nodded politely. "I see someone has culture and knows their history," Megumi said, throwing a side glance at Sanosuke, who shrugged her off and proceeded inside with his drink.

"Get this," Yahiko poked his head out of the open window, "he thought Sano and Kaoru were married."

Megumi laughed, again at Kenshin expense. "Well it makes sense, they're both unclassed." The woman moved to his side, and placed a delicate hand on his shoulder. He felt an odd sensation, like someone staring daggers into his back. "Someone with standards is more suited to me, don't you think so too, Sir Ken?" Kenshin swallowed and was at a loss for words, to which Megumi gave a giggle.

"Let's just get inside and eat," Kaoru said, an edge in her voice. Kenshin was thankful for the interruption and made a move to follow Kaoru inside.

"First I will tend to Sir Ken's wounds." There was no time to protest before Kenshin was forced inside by the woman and back to his room.

She redressed him quickly, commenting on Kaoru inability to tie off a bandage in a proper manner, then spoke with a hushed tone.

"You're not a wanderer are you," she said matter of fact. Kenshin didn't respond and stayed quiet. "I know who you are. You look younger than I thought you would, for a assassin at least." His fears were confirmed and he took a deep breath, listening to the woman's movements. What did she know of him? How much did she know? How could he trust that she wouldn't breathe a word to someone else?

Many who discovered his past felt their suffering was his doing, and he took responsibility for it. This woman was no exception as her entire family had been slaughtered in a war he helped facilitate so her anger was justified. She moved to stand in front of him and he could see it in her eyes. "I won't tell the others," she said, the statement surprising him, "and I will see to it that you remain here to recover, but if anything happens to them because of you, I will hold you responsible." She then left quickly, her voice taking on an entirely different tone when joining the conversation the others were having.

Kenshin sat there another moment, taking in the woman's declaration. If she knew who he was now, then she knew the day she tended to him and still hadn't said anything. She must have come to the realization that if she spoke of it, it would potentially spell trouble for them all and the less Kaoru understood, the better and safer she was. But there was no doubt in his mind that he should leave this place; it was for the best.

Shrugging his arm back into his shirt and sling he went to join the others.

Dinner was completely opposite of the encounter he had just endured. He had never seen people so lively from the way Kaoru and Yahiko argued, to the flirtatious behavior of Megumi, and the carefree attitude of the drunken Sanosuke. The meal in itself wasn't much, but it was a feast to Kenshin, who had been dining on stale breads for a month. The warm goo Kaoru called soup might have been detestable to the others, but on his palette it was heavenly.

After a few drinks, Sanosuke managing to force Kenshin into downing one or two, the noise was dying down. The brash man escorted Megumi home and Yahiko was already off to bed, leaving Kenshin and Kaoru to enjoy the night breeze on the wooden end walk. She spent the time filling in the silence with random stories and he found he liked to hear her talk.

Fireflies littered the grass, fluttering like little stars in the darkness, while the moonlight illuminated the grass sea before them, the slight wind creating waves. His shoulder throbbed, but the pain was easily drowned out by the picturesque sight before him. There was a name for this sensation, but he couldn't put a word to the feeling he had... been so long since he felt it...

Kaoru's soft yawn broke his thoughts and he looked over to see her stretching, the moonlight refracting off her hair with an ethereal glow. Kenshin sighed and rose to his feet. It was time for him to move on, and hopefully he could charm a horse and food out of Kaoru before he left.

"I guess I should take my leave, that I should," he said.

Her blue eyes blinked. "What do you mean?"

Kaoru's confusion threw him off guard as he had been expecting her to wish him well on his way. "Well I'm grateful for everything that you've done for this one, Miss Kaoru, but I couldn't impose any longer-"

She jumped to her feet and gave him an incredulous look, her hands on her hips. "Kenshin, what kind of person do you think I am? To let a injured man wander around in the dead of night? At least stay until you're healed enough to travel!"

The intensity of her gaze froze him in his spot and it was another moment before he composed himself to speak. "Stay here? With you?"

Even in the darkness, the moonlight was enough that he could see the tint of her cheeks; a beautiful shade of pink, as she flushed from the implications his statement made. He wished he had been more tactful but he was just as thrown for a loop as she was. Kaoru looked away and spoke. "I mean... it's just until you're healed to travel."

"But you don't even know who I am..."

"Oh!" she steamed, bringing her full attention back to him. "I told you that doesn't matter! It's not like I'll be prying into your life, and you can work and help out around here if you think you're gonna be a _burden_, and it's just until you're well enough, and it's always been a family motto to help others in need, and you look like you're in need and... look Himura if you don't want the room-" her rant was cut off by the sounds of Kenshin's laughter. He knew it would upset her, but he was unable to hold it in, seeing her sputter like that. "What is so funny?!"

"I'm sorry, that I am," he tried to get out, "Forgive this one. I'm not making fun of you, that I'm not." Kenshin smiled, and it seemed to relax her and there was no fear of being clobbered like Yahiko. "It just, it's been awhile since I've had company that I... enjoy. Again, forgive this one."

"Forgiven," she nodded, smiling back. "You can continue to use the room you've been in, if you decide to stay." He nodded in understanding. "Well, then Goodnight, Kenshin." She fidgeted for a second, biting her lip, then rounded on her heel to go inside.

"Goodnight Miss Kaoru." He turned to look out into the darkness again, contemplating whether to walk out there or turn to the soft glow the candle light in the house provided. He chose the latter.

xxx

Kenshin stirred at first light as soft, feminine cries floated on the air through his open window, piquing his interest. Sleep had come to him fairly easy since Kaoru outfitted his bed with new linens and cushions otherwise he would have been up much sooner, making him slightly reluctant to leave the warmth of his blankets.

However the day was calling him, so cleansing his face and dressing, he followed the noise to the back of the house to the small clearing where a few straw dummies were now posted and Kaoru delivered the final blow to her fictional enemy with a swift swing of her blade- well it was actually a wooden weapon, he assumed used merely to practice with. Yahiko stood on observation, then repeated the process though not as precise as she, earning a scolding from her at the errors in his stance, to which he argued back.

He recognized the style; from the Kings of old with nearly the same historical length as his own technique. A style that focused on teaching the wielder to use every section of the weapon a extension of yourself, and use your opponent's strengths against them. Where did she acquire the knowledge of the style; to be able to execute it in the manner she did, and know it well enough to pass it onto someone else... It was as if it had been in her blood. Now he was even more curious about this woman and there was more to her than she let on.

Quietly, Kenshin approached the field and studied her movement; her finesse with the weapon, her calculated steps, concentrated breathing, when suddenly her eyes landed on his and he was fixed in his spot, swallowed by their depths. He had realized he was staring until she called out to him.

"Kenshin?" He blinked out of his stupor and moved closer to the pair, now putting on his best smile.

"Good morning Miss Kaoru, Yahiko. Impressive swordsmanship," he complimented. The boy smiled brightly and wiped sweat from his brow.

"Don't compliment him too much. It'll go to that big head of his," her smug attitude visibly irritating the young boy. "Right now he can barely hold a firm grip of his weapon." Yahiko crossed his arms and turned his nose up at her.

"Whatever, ugly! Yahiko Myojin is gonna be the strongest there is!"

"How rude! I'm teaching you out of the goodness of my heart and this is the thanks I get?!"

Kenshin chuckled at their banter before offering solace to Yahiko's wounded pride. "Myojin is a strong name. A line of warriors and swordsmen if I know my history correctly." The boy's face lit up and gave a toothy grin.

"You hear that Kaoru? It's in my blood to be great!"

"However, a strong swordsman respects women, especially those like Miss Kaoru, that they do," he smiled over to her. Kaoru flushed, attempting to hide her pleasure by biting her lip.

Yahiko snorted, "yeah yeah I hear ya," then resumed his training with new intensity. Kaoru corrected his foot work, scolding him again, but he took it in a stride instead of complaining.

"So," she began, "You've decided to stay?" She was fidgeting while watching her pupil, shouting at him again to work his basics.

Kenshin gazed down at the ground and adjusted his boot, tapping the toe on the ground. "Until I'm able to travel again." He looked at her once more with a thoughtful smile. "Though you never know when that'll be. You sure you don't mind this one?"

Kaoru folded her arms, closed her eyes and turned her nose up. "I said what I said and I won't repeat myself." It caused him to laugh again at her straight forwardness, but he sensed she was pleased with the decision, a smile playing at the corners of her lips. After her speech last night, he could hardly say no to the invitation she had given him. The blunt way she put it; that he looked like he needed help wasn't an understatement on her part he knew that much, and her insistence gave him the feeling that it was already decided. It wasn't a great decision, but it was the only one to make at the moment, he _was_ hurt after all.

"Kenshin," she broke the silence, "what sort of style do you use?"

He blinked, confused by the question. "oro?"

She blew air and rolled her eyes. "You walk around with a blade attached to your hip. You must know some swordplay."

She accused him of knowing technique and he mentally cursed himself; of course she would think that if he walked around with his sword at all times. The issue was he didn't know how to answer without giving away his identity. "My blade is just for defense," it wasn't a lie, "rather, I'm more interested in who taught you to wield a sword, that I am." He was hoping he created enough of a distraction to change the subject.

Kaoru turned away, her dark hair swaying with the movement. "My father," she replied somberly. "He'd instructed me since I was young, before he died. When we came to this place, my uncle gave my father the farm, and every day he taught me how to defend myself in case he wouldn't be around to do so. Maybe he knew his time was short." The sadness was thick in her voice, briefly he wondered if she was going to cry, and when he gave her his condolences she turned back to him with a small smile, cheeks free of tears.

Uncharacteristically she fell silent, instead of her usual ramblings, and Kenshin examined her, trying to decipher anything from her demeanor. Unsuccessful, he continued his line of questioning. "Miss Kaoru?" He began, "if you don't mind this one asking, what is your house name?"

"It's..." she trailed off biting her lip. "It's just Kaoru." This was a lie, he knew it was, but what reason would she have to hide the truth? Before he had a chance to ask again, she excused herself and walked over to her pupil, giving Yahiko her undivided attention, effectively shutting Kenshin down. He let it be, not wanting to be rude and extending the same courtesy she gave him, but it still lingered in his mind. This woman held more secrets than possibly he did, and he was filled with a desire to know more about her, to uncover everything she withheld.

Kenshin gave one final glance in her direction before heading back to the house, determined to find something to distract himself with. If he was going to stay here for the time being, he might as well earn his keep.

...

* * *

**Thanks for reading and I will have the next chapter up much sooner than this one!**


	4. Chapter Three

**Hi there! Haven't been able to post this and now with all the crazy in world it's been difficult. I haven't forgotten this story and I do intend to finish it.**

**Hope you are staying safe and healthy!**

* * *

_Before_

Kaoru sighed heavily, tugged her tresses out of the bun and threw the pins on her dresser while checking herself over in the mirror. Her hair was not cooperating, her clothes were all wrong, and she had no idea what to even do with the lip and eye powders she'd gotten from the market, leaving her raging silently in her room.

Her appearance, which had never been an issue before, was now something she slaved over every morning; waking up before first light to get started and taking at least an hour before she even left her room. She wished she had the grace and beauty of the Megumi, who looked radiant even without face powders. Kaoru was lucky if she didn't have dirt caked on her cheek.

She stared at her figure in the mirror a little longer unsatisfied by the full length dress, the curls in her hair or the lip color she applied. Groaning she tugged the dress over her head and grabbed a rag to scrub the color off her lips. They were stained now, a slight hue as if she had been eating berries but no matter, she was already late and couldn't spare another moment. Donning her usual trousers and shirt, she tied up her hair as normal then stomped out of her room to start her morning chores before meeting Yahiko in the clearing. She could already hear the complaints her pupil was about to give.

Quickly going through her routine she made sure to stop at the stable to greet and feed her horse only to notice the feed bag was full and the water had been refreshed. Looking around a fluttering noise caught her attention and she made her way out the back to be met with the sight of Kenshin near the laundry post; the sleeves of his white shirt pulled back up to his shoulders and muscles taut as he hung wet linens out to dry. His hair, tied off in it's usual low style, swayed with the small breeze as he stepped back and examined his work. A slight smile played on his lips though it didn't reach his eyes, that look of sadness he tried to hide swirling in the amethyst.

The wanderer had entered her life a few short weeks ago, like something out of a fairy tale, and flipped her humble little home on its head. His presence became a comfort to Kaoru, he fit well with their everyday life, never hindering it and, dare she say, he was less of a burden than Yahiko was.

Yes it was strange, perhaps not even smart, to let him stay this long but she couldn't find it in herself to send him on his way. Kaoru wasn't dumb, and knew there was more to him that just a man who happened to be on the wrong ship at the wrong time. He kept secrets, she probably should've been wary of that, but there was something in his demeanor that told her he meant no harm so she would leave that up to Kenshin on whether he would disclose what really happened. Kaoru of all people knew better than to pry and if he was hiding something it was probably better she didn't know. Of course, that didn't stop her curiosity or her want for the truth; she studied him as he flung the second set of linens over the line.

His arm was out of the sling now and true to his word he spent more time helping out around the ranch and doing the menial chores Yahiko refused to do. He'd also taken up the task of preparing dinner; it seemed to everyone's pleasure as they repeated said Kaoru was ill fit for the job, and Kenshin appeared to enjoy preparing the meals they feasted on. Even just now her horse was taken care of before she had any thought to do so, before she had even asked it. In the back of her mind she remembered he said his lodging was just until he was healed, but a part of her was thinking maybe he had changed his thinking and was here for good.

Slapping her cheeks to wake herself out of her day dreaming, she turned away from the man and proceeded to the clearing where Yahiko was waiting impatiently.

"What took you so long?" The boy frowned. Kaoru huffed and crossed her arms.

"I had to get ready! Beauty takes time you know!"

"Beauty?" Yahiko made a face. "For what? You're gonna get sweat, ugly and gross anyway," he said. How cruel, even if it was true, he still didn't have to say it like that.

Kaoru rolled her eyes and drew her practice weapon, and long wooden stick, from the barrel next to her. "I'm still a woman, and maybe I wanna look like it from time to time!"

Yahiko snorted, unable to contain his laughter. "Good luck with that!" Upset and feeling disrespected, Kaoru hit him lightly him with her practice weapon.

"You left yourself open to your enemy, that's fifty basic repetitions!" Yahiko groaned before readying himself. She struck again, though this time he was prepared and parried the attack as she taught him. They practiced, Kaoru easily dodging and blocking the younger one's advances, but her heart still ached from the statement he made. Bad enough she knew she wasn't the prettiest but to hear it so bluntly stated was a slap to the face. She was by no means not attractive, but just a little attention from a man would be nice.

So what she was trying to appear more feminine? Was that really a crime? Why did the boy have to crush her dreams like that? Even though nothing would come of it, was it really that bad to try and impress someone?

Distracted, Yahiko landed a blow she should've blocked on her upper arm. She yelped in pain as the thumping shot through her limb when the boy disarmed her, tripped over her own feet and fell to the ground. Yahiko stood triumphantly and celebrated his victory for a moment, mocking Kaoru before she kicked her leg out and swept his from under him, sending the boy crashing to the ground as well. Kaoru made a move for his weapon and held what was thought to be the blade end to his face.

Yahiko panted, anger appearing on his features. "You cheated!" He complained seeing himself pinned down.

The teacher scoffed, brushing loose tendrils of hair out of her face as she stood up, righting her stance. "You think the enemy will fight fair?" She began, "You have to be prepared for every move your opponent makes!" The boy slammed his fist on the ground next to him in rage.

"Says you! I beat you and you know it!" Anger welled up inside and she felt so stupid; allowing her pupil to score a blow like that. It was going to his head, when he was simply lucky. She knew his footing was off, the strike wasn't aimed or true, he was merely just swinging his weapon around in an effort to make contact, and with her blunder, in his eyes he did. Now he was calling out what he thought was a lack of fairness, instead of seeing the error for what it was. But it was her fault, if not for her distracted mindset it would've never happened and what would Yahiko be more mad about; that her lapse in judgement cheapened his victory or that she wasn't taking his training seriously in the first place.

Needing to cool off and give the boy space, she demanded he do one hundred basic repetitions before stomping off to tend to the bruise she was sure to have, ignoring his complaints at her retreating form.

Looking some sort of cold compress, she made her way to the well near the stables, hoping that it still had a little water in it. To her relief the well was filled so she drew the bucket up, pulled her sleeve back and dipped a rag into the cool water to soothe her skin. It solved the initial ache, the burning dissipating, but she knew a warm soak would do it much better. The pain settled to a dull throb and she sighed at the feeling.

"Miss Kaoru? Are you alright?" Someone asked from behind her. She turned to see Kenshin; he was returning with a fresh catch from the river, yet his clothes were soaked- did he fall in or something?

"I'm fine," she said going back to her arm, dabbing the area. "What happened to you? A fish drag you into the river?" She joked. Suddenly a strong pair of hands took the rag from her, dipped it back in the bucket and was pressing into the abused flesh tenderly. Kaoru gazed up at Kenshin, who was focused on her arm that his eyes didn't meet hers, hidden behind his long fringe.

"Nevermind this one. Please take more care, Miss Kaoru. It would be a shame if you got seriously injured that it would," his gaze locked with hers and Kaoru's heart nearly jumped out of her chest. Her skin burned where he touched, heating up from the inside out and she was lost in swirling amethyst, stunned into silence. Goodness he was handsome, she'd known that from day one but having him this close; she could see that glittering gold his hair turned in the sunlight, the sweat that dipped down into his loose shirt, the dark scar that gave him a mysterious appeal and made her fingers ache with the desire to touch it. For moment she wondered what he would do if she reached out and caressed the blemish on his beauty. "And I'm sure Yahiko would be upset if his teacher was out of commission, that I am."

The statement was like throwing water onto embers and she blinked before quickly pulling away from his hands to collect herself. Kaoru's cheeks felt hot and she knew that her blush would betray her thinking. "Yes, Yahiko just got a lucky hit in is all," she said trying not to let her voice waver. "But I'll make sure it won't stroke his ego too much."

"I'm sure of that," Kenshin laughed. " Are you done for the day? Would you like me to draw a bath for you?"

Kaoru smiled the thought of the warm water tempting and nodded vigorously. Kenshin smiled and excused himself, walking away briskly. He was always so courteous, she often wondered where he had learned his mannerisms and was washed in thought momentarily before she returned to the young boy to check on him, and maybe apologize. Maybe.

Yahiko was still in the middle of his routine, however he was joined by Sanosuke who was lounging around in the tall grass of the clearing. She approached, he never stirred though she was sure he could hear her, and sat down next to him.

"You're here again?" She asked.

"What, I'm not allowed to visit anymore?" He replied, smirking. His eyes were closed as he chewed a long grain he'd plucked from the ground but she knew better than to think he was just stopping by, on account of the fresh bruise under his eye and his lip being busted. Kaoru figured he had been in another brawl fight at the tavern and was hiding out from authorities as the farm was remote enough that they seldom traveled this far. Kaoru let it be and didn't question him on it further; as long as he didn't bring trouble with him she would let him come and go as he pleased and though it didn't seem like it, he paid his fair share from time to time. Sanosuke Sagara was an enigma of a man, and his blatant ignorance often made him that much harder to understand. Originally a drifter, he was blowing through town when she met him- in the midst of a fight, and while she was on the initial judgement she quickly learned that through the hard exterior he showed, the man was soft on the inside with a weak spot for those suffering and starving on the streets. A kinship he must have felt to the poor living in the slums which is why Kaoru tolerated Sanosuke's volatile behavior- there was more there than just a brawler.

Even now, while he was in a fight no doubt she surmised that he would've come this way regardless as he had been showing up more often since the wanderer started to live here. Sanosuke didn't trust him and though of part of her was chaffed- she could take care of herself, another part was relieved at his concern. Besides, now that Kenshin was on her mind, there were questions she wanted to ask her friend. Questions that involved the intimacies of the opposite sex... questions that set her face on fire at the mere thought of asking them aloud.

Kaoru pulled her knees up to her chest, glancing over to the lazy one once more. She chewed her lip while thinking of the right words to say without sounding like a harlot. "What is it?" Sanosuke cracked one eye open to look her way, noticing her fidgeting.

Hesitantly she began. "Sanosuke, you're a man right?"

There was a pause for a moment before he reached for the edge for his trousers. "Let me check." Kaoru covered her face with her hands, less she catch a glimpse of what lie beneath his clothing.

"Don't be crude!" She exclaimed, hearing the deep chuckles of her friend and she huffed. Kaoru hated when he teased her. "Look, I'm only asking you since there's no one else."

The young woman hadn't been educated on the intimacies of sex; she had no mother figure and wasn't coddled like other girls so what little she knew of the act left questions and a veil hung over the subject. She couldn't even discuss it with other common women her age else she appear like a lady of the night. She wasn't necessarily looking for a any illicit information, but she also wasn't stupid enough to not know that what she was told was censored. Where else to get a little more detail than the brawler himself? Kaoru could only imagine his escapades.

She cleared her throat. "What's it like? The relationship between a man and a woman?" Her face grew hot as the words left her lips. "I mean, um..."

Sanosuke sat up and moved closer to her. "You want me to teach ya?" His hand moved under her chin and he gently tilted her head towards him as if to kiss her. Kaoru knew him better than that; he was like family and besides there was a certain Raven haired woman he was interested in.

She made a face at him. "Stop teasing me you pervert." He backed off laughing.

"You're the one asking me the perverted questions." Settling back into his position in the grass, his hands behind his head once more, Sanosuke continued, "Ya want to know about fuckin?"

Kaoru turned her nose up, put off by his terminology. "Must you say it like that?"

Sanosuke shrugged then spoke, "Call it what ya will, it's all the same." She sighed and rolled her eyes prompting him to smile again. His next words were even more explicit that the young woman could not believe such language existed, not to mention the acts of passion he described...

He wasn't recounting his own affairs necessarily, hopefully, just stating the general without the censorship she was used to receiving. Her face was bright red by the time he finished, really when she begged him to stop, to which a hard laugh left him adding to her embarrassment. "I'm just tellin ya the truth. Bout time someone did, you're a big girl and can take it."

"But, were you ever in love with those women? I mean, the ones you did things like that with?" She asked. Curiosity was getting the better of her, and when she knew she should have avoided the topic Kaoru could not help but keep asking questions.

"If you're lookin for love stuff... I can't help ya there." His tone was still light but his face had taken a solemn look. "A woman's heart is all over the place. Couldn't figure it out even if I wanted to."

Surprised by the revelation, the next words escaped her mouth without filter. "So you and Megumi...?".

He huffed, his lips twisting up into a halfhearted smile like he was upset or put off by something. "She ain't lookin for a man like me." Suddenly he rose up from the ground and trotted off toward the gate, muttering something about needing another drink. Kaoru felt she must have pushed some button for him to leave like that, and regretted it as she stared at his retreating back. She really needed to learn to think before she spoke. Yet hearing Megumi wasn't interested she was confused by all of what she knew and learned, and it seemed the brawler was in one of those unrequited scenarios.

Kaoru sighed and dusted herself off before going in search of her bath.

xxx

"Good morning Kaoru," Kenshin said, the drop in formalities shocking her and stirring up something else she couldn't quite identify. They were so close she could feel his body heat burning through her clothes, melting into her own and she wanted to faint from his proximity.

"Good morning Kenshin," she breathed. He stepped even closer, effectively trapping her in her room while his form was flush against hers, a smile playing on his lips. "Kenshin, Yahiko is waiting for me."

"He can wait a little longer. Forgive me, but I can't help myself. You look, ravishing," he said. His arm came up to wrap around her waist and the other brought a hand up to cup her cheek. Fire coiled in her belly radiating to her cheeks. She couldn't believe he was being this forward considering he never showed interest before.

"Kenshin, hold on, what are you-" she was cut off as his mouth fell upon hers in a wild kiss that sent her reeling, tumbling out of her bed and to the floor with a loud thud. Blinking, Kaoru tried to regain a sense of herself as her room came into clarity and groaned while rubbing the sore elbow that caught the fall. A soft knock on the door captured her attention before Kenshin's voice could be heard on the other side, asking if she was okay. She replied in earnest, hoping it was enough that he would not walk in and see her rumpled state; more than likely he would never cross the threshold into her room, but the possibility hung over her head and she dreaded it. Thankfully he accepted her response and she breathed in relief as the distinct sound of his quiet footsteps could be heard leaving her door.

Alone, she tugged a piece of her hair and mulled over what she had just experienced; the dream was so intense and looked so real that her lips felt hot as if his had actually been there. It was the first time she had ever had a dream like that and a part of her wished she had not woken up just yet, wanting to see where else the fantasy would take her. Thoughts of the erotic nature crossed her mind and created a lustful haze she nearly fell into before she shook her head and willed the images away. Her mind wasn't very creative as she had never even seen Kenshin's body beyond his chest but it was enough that she was blushing red, in need of water, and in need of a break from the confinements of the ranch. Standing up she threw her linens back onto her bed, got dressed and decided to venture into the town to escape the emotions she was feeling. Without breakfast, and giving Yahiko a poor excuse for skipping training, she was on her horse and galloping away down the road.

It was colder down the hills toward the port with grey clouds that littered the sky, the smell of rain on the horizon. The mare shook its mane and Kaoru was glad she brought her cloak along as she tugged it over her shoulders. From her position she could see the town bustling with many ships docked and excitement filled her as she rode the horse down the path. It had been a while since she had seen this much cargo come into town and there was no telling what treasures lay in the market. Being on the border had its merits in that foreign goods often came through here before they arrived at their supposed destination and a lot of the merchants sold it for fairly cheap. Kaoru could take one look at an item, see the quality, and pay minimal for something akin to what a duke's cousin would own. She remembered her father often wore fine threaded fabrics when she was younger before selling them to a peddler for the iron in her sword.

As she crossed the arched gates into the town, the mud caking onto her horse's hooves, she hoped to find a few trinkets here and there or something cheap and delectable that would make a filling dinner, however she was hit with disappointment at the stock she found; the fish market was dry, the bakery had a few loaves of bread that hadn't yet molded over and she was able to make a trade with a few ears of corn, and even the blacksmith was sparse on wares. She was offered a dull blade for her mare but she swiftly declined and made her way down to a few more peddlers to ask about their product, or lack thereof, due to her confusion of the whole situation. The ships were in port yet they were receiving no goods and not a single one of the merchants had been on the trade routes in the last few weeks.

One peddler, an old and fragile looking man who sold grain for coin, cursed the ships that were docked and stated they belonged to Kanryuu Takeda; their load was already purchased and on its way to the man's manor. Kaoru noticed the carts passing by, full of fresh goods and meats, and the men driving them were indeed apart of Takeda's entourage. They trotted through, nearly running over someone in the process and she scowled.

Only a few weeks ago had the air in the ports been different; there was peace and happiness in the atmosphere the people genuine in their lives. Now it was beginning to look like they were on the brink of conflict, or as if war had already stripped the town of its life. The people were humble and the only one with wealthy money had been Takeda along with his elite. To take from them more, the very things that had kept them going for all this time...

Perhaps Yahiko was right in that those people had more than what they deserved, and others were suffering because of it. Huffing to keep her anger from boiling over and seeing how her shopping trip was ruined, Kaoru decided since she was out she would pay a visit to the tavern and see the maid, Tae, there. Doubling back she did one more sweep of the market before tying off her horse to the stable outside the inn.

Entering, the place was nearly empty and Kaoru wondered how long had the town's decline been occurring and if she missed it by this much, she really needed to get out more. Tae was behind the counter, drying a few cups before looking up to give her a warm smile to which the younger returned it and moved to sit at the counter. The maid disappeared for a moment before returning with a mug filled with a warm, fragrant tea and placed it in front of her. Kaoru grinned, pleased the woman always had her favorite drink ready and sipped it slowly, her eyes squinting with the heat. It helped to stave off the chill the day was starting to take on.

"Been a long time since I've seen your pretty face," Tae said. Kaoru gave an apologetic smile, stating she had a incident to take care of. She dare not mention the wanderer to avoid rumors or any talk of indecency, and not that she couldn't trust Tae, but one never knew how many ears were listening in a place like this.

Tae waved it off, disappointed but not offended at the young woman's absence before they launched into deep conversation; it was mostly Kaoru asking questions about anything and everything and the tavern maid answering every single one of them with as much gusto as they were delivered. She liked visiting Tae; the woman knew much about the kingdom and the world from her various travels and the drifters that stopped by as they blew through town. It was a view of the world she would never see as the older woman was a wealth of knowledge, but her love stories about her late husband is really what drew Kaoru in. The younger adored the tales of fleeting gazes, stolen kisses, and proclivities of love like the fairytales she read in the few books she owned. She liked to live vicariously through them since the experience would never present itself. Not to mention she figured the maid wanted other company besides drunken men so she at the counter she sat currently listening to the tale of how Tae and her late husband met.

As focused as she tried to remain however, her mind kept wandering to a certain redheaded man, envisioning herself and him in the stories the tavern lady was telling. It was getting to her favorite part now, the moment where they had confessed their feelings for one another, when Kaoru suddenly interrupted.

"But how did you know you fell in love?" Tae gave her a surprised look. "I mean what's the difference between lust and love? How is it that I can think about him at all hours that it completely ruins my day to day life?" She bit her lip to silence her rambling as the older maid gave her a sympathetic look.

"Honey, you're talking like ya caught feelings already," Tae said with a smile.

"No, of course not!" Kaoru said. "I-I just wanted to know," she stammered, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible. It obviously didn't work as Tae kept giving her a knowing smile and Kaoru couldn't keep the blush off her cheeks. "It's not like a suitor will come knocking," she exasperated.

Tae shook her head, frowning disappointingly. "Kaoru, give yourself more credit-"

The younger interrupted again. "But who's gonna marry someone with no house name?" _Best I hope for is he'll take my virginity_, she thought.

"Take what now?" Tae asked. Kaoru bit her lip again, mortified she'd spoken her mind aloud, and her cheeks burned with embarrassment. Covering her face to hide from the giggling her friend made there was the sound of the doors opening and Kaoru peeked through her fingers to see Megumi waltzing in, her eyes landing on the two with a smile. She fluttered over gracefully and took the seat next to her.

"Good day Tae, Kaoru," she nodded at them both.

"Good day Miss Takani, to what do I owe the honor?" Tae asked bowing deeply. Ever since Megumi revealed her highborn status Tae often teased her with respectful bows and stating she would be whisked off by some Duke to the capital. Kaoru didn't participate in the joke, secretly jealous of the doctor's many suitors. She refused to give it any more attention than it got.

Megumi smiled, brushed of the chaff and asked for a fine wine before pulling out her pipe and lighting it. Kaoru didn't bring up the conversation from earlier; once Megumi got wind of embarrassing factors she would never let one live it down and as such she did not want to be on the receiving end of that mockery. The younger sipped her drink quietly, willing Tae to hurry back and save her from the doctor's piercing stares. Thankfully the tavern maid was quick in her work and returned with the bottle in hand.

"So how's business, Tae?" Megumi asked before taking a sip of her drink.

"As slow as always," she sighed. "Not much happening 'round here when all the men are either working up at Takeda's or shipped off to the mines." That explained the decline in the patrons and it was no wonder it was staring to look like a ghost town; Tae mentioned few common folk made customers of themselves and Takeda's elite group would often stop by the business, offering her a lot of money to sell. Even the local authorities seemed to under Takeda's thumb or to the very least their tables were stocked by him. Kaoru wondered where the militia had gone to and now it was obvious that the king had abandoned the small fishing town leaving it in the hands of whoever held the most money.

To her left Megumi seemed visibly agitated, a slight crease in her brow on her otherwise calm and collected features, and was completely uncharacteristic of her to display such emotions on her face. Kaoru opened her mouth to comment before they were interrupted by the call of a few unsavory looking men who had just entered the tavern, reeking of alcohol and piss as they approached. They were common to see on the streets but in the establishment it was unfamiliar and immediately Kaoru's stomach churned, a warning, the flight or fight response kicking in. They crowded Megumi, all but shoved Kaoru out of the way, while the doctor quietly sipped her drink.

"Woman, ya kept Takeda waitin long enough," one with a dark, scraggly beard and bald head sneered. He was stocky and bits of food and mud stuck to the unkept facial hair.

Another one grinned; a tall and wiry man, his black and broken teeth scattered between thin lips. The last man was young but dirty, his face void of any emotion. This one scared Kaoru the most.

"What's ya answer?" The one with the blackened teeth said. Kaoru was confused and found herself wanting an answer from Megumi as well but on a very different line of questioning. These men weren't apart of Takeda's elite, just broken thugs scraped off the streets and easily swayed with coin, she could tell from the attitude of the silent one they were fresh into Takeda's pockets. What business did they have with Megumi, or more to the point what business did Megumi have with Takeda?

Tae attempted to quell the situation but was swiftly cut off by the burly one slamming his fist into the countertop and all three drawing short swords. Kaoru's stomach sank and she briefly wished she had brought her own blade with her- maybe she should more like Kenshin and carry it around at all times.

The doctor set her cup down, picked up her pipe and took a long puff before blowing the smoke into one of the guy's face. This didn't sit well as he knocked her drink onto the floor in anger causing Megumi to stand up and face him- in an instant, without even really thinking, Kaoru pulled the doctor to the side, effectively making herself the barrier against the assailants.

"What are you doing Kaoru?" Megumi angrily whispered to her. She wasn't sure herself; she had no weapon, was at least a full length shorter than the assailants, and half the weight. If all three were to charge her there's no way she would win. However, out of the three women she was the only one with combat experience. If she could bait one close enough in she could disarm him and at least then she would have some sort of defense.

"Piss off!" The bearded one shouted, the volunteer for Kaoru's plan. "Got no reason to bother with ya," he said.

"You're the one that needs to piss off," she responded, trying to irk his advance. He needed to take another step closer and she could get his weapon.

"Kaoru-" Megumi began. Kaoru's skin prickled with sweat and she could feel the hairs on her arms stand up but she remained calm watching the man in front of her and listening for the two when suddenly he was grabbed and sucker punched in the face, sent sprawling to the ground beside them. Sanosuke stood there a scowl on his features. She hadn't even seen or heard him come in but relief filled her at his arrival. The other two shoved the women aside, shouting obscenities.

"Who the fuck are you?" Blackened teeth shouted while stocky picked himself off the floor. The quiet one shuffled back but made no moves to attack. Sanosuke ignored the address throwing a glance toward the back door.

"Missy, Fox. Beat it," his voice was curt and to the point.

"Fox?" Megumi asked incredulously before Kaoru nodded and dragged the woman outside the back entrance. She felt bad about leaving Tae behind, but the quick look she gave her said it was alright and to quickly get the doctor out of the establishment. The men were after her and would most likely leave everyone else alone.

Quickly they got to the mare and were galloping down the road; a group of militia- or maybe not, running past them to the tavern. Kaoru kept the horse at a steady pace until they were making their way up the hills to the farm then slowed to a safe talking trot.

"I didn't need your help Kaoru," was the first thing out of Megumi's mouth, instead of a thank you.

"Like hell you didn't," the younger replied. The horse snorted in agreement and Kaoru patted her mare's head gently, rewarding her good behavior. "You should thank Sanosuke as well." The thought of the brawler going up against weapons bare handed made her stomach churn with worry. She hoped he would make it out unscathed or at the very least not mortally wounded.

The doctor scoffed from behind her- one could practically hear the eye rolling, a harsh and breathy laugh. "That tongue of yours is going to get you in a lot of trouble."

Now it was Kaoru's turn chastise. "What about you? What's this with Takeda?" The doctor had a point in that the young woman really should have just walked away and ignored what was happening in front of her, and her defiant attitude put her in a precarious position with the most powerful man in the region. However, Megumi definitely had some explaining to do considering they might have just painted a target on both of their backs.

"He's been courting me," Kaoru nearly fell of the horse at this, "but I have no intention of accepting his proposal."

The younger looked over her shoulder, hands itching to slap her elder silly. "Then why lead him on?"

"It doesn't concern you," the doctor said turning her nose up. Kaoru sighed, debating if she should kick the woman off her horse or continue on. She was trying to be nice to Megumi, she did owe her something for help before and not to mention with Kenshin, but dammed if the woman wasn't making it hard. Trudging on, they could lie low at the ranch for they day and besides, Kaoru wasn't going to escort this woman home any time soon.

Kenshin was already done with dinner, Yahiko was just about to leave to retrieve Kaoru when the women came strolling through the gate. Immediately Megumi started hanging all over Kenshin, who was none too bothered by it so it seemed, while Yahiko demanded to know where Kaoru had been all this time and was put out that she didn't return with the goods she promised. There was a concerned look on Kenshin's face as well however the doctor quickly interjected, stating they were held up with some feminine matters and that was enough to silence any further questioning from the two as they walked up the path to enter the house. Kaoru, though initially wanting to out the woman, realized that it would effectively out her as well so she kept her mouth shut and watch begrudgingly as Megumi fawned over the wanderer- taking the seat next to him at the dinning table before the younger even had a chance. Yahiko snickered at the dejected face she tried to hide and Kaoru would have clobbered him yet found herself out of energy to pay it any mind. For now she was ready to bury her feelings in the delicious meal that was prepared as she placed the dishes on the table.

"Are you doing alright Miss Kaoru?" Kenshin's voice floated out toward her. She looked up to see his amethyst eyes gauging her with heavy curiosity. Kaoru shook her head and waved it off.

"I'm fine, don't worry about me. Let's eat!"

"Bout time! I'm starving!" Yahiko exclaimed taking the first mouth full of the piping hot meal. He burned himself and while Kaoru chastised him, he kept shoveling it in. The boy was on his second plate when suddenly the brawler came booming through the door as if he kicked it open.

"Don't you know how to knock?" Yahiko asked him as he sat down at the table. There was minimal bruising on his lip but other than that he was free of injury and it colored Kaoru impressed.

Sanosuke ignored the boy's complaint and was already stuffing his face when Megumi cleared her throat loudly. "So, did you have fun playing thug today?" She addressed him.

He nearly choked on his food, giving her a disbelieving look. "Playing thug? I was defending your honor!"

The doctor laughed haughtily. "Please I bet you enjoyed that scene you caused."

Sanosuke grabbed the wine canteen and downed its contents before slamming it down on the table. "This is the thanks I get for taking care of those assholes for ya?"

"No one asked for your help!"

Kenshin put up his hands between the two attempting to make peace. "Now now, let's not fight, but this one would like to know what happened?" Yahiko returned with another wine canteen to which the brawler nearly finished that too. Kaoru protested as they didn't have many good ones left but it died on her lips; a lost cause considering he was well on his way to drunkenness.

"Nothing other than this buffoon getting himself into more trouble than he's worth," Megumi answered.

Sanosuke snorted and shook his head. "Women, I tell ya," he began, "do somethin nice for them, and they spit on your kindness."

Kaoru sighed and continued her meal, less it become cold while the bickering carried on, all the while trying to ignore Megumi's behavior to Kenshin. Her flirting was chipping away at Kaoru's collected demeanor and if the woman rested her head on his shoulder one more time she was going to dump her soup on the woman's head.

"So what's your type, Kenshin?" Sanosuke suddenly asked, ignoring the doctor's last degrading statement and stared the wanderer down drunkenly. Kaoru's ears perked up but she did her best to look uninterested.

The red head quietly sipped his drink then smiled lightly. "I don't think I have one." Sanosuke blew air and side eyed him.

"Everyone's got a type. Let's see," he sneered. "I wager, you like a woman with dark hair, fair skin, fiery persona, one who can take care of herself," he said. Kenshin took another bite of his dinner, and his eyes met Kaoru's for a brief moment before looking away. It was so fast she wasn't even sure it happened.

"That sounds nice." The statement resonated through her ears down to her heart, which she thought would explode, and she had to take several spoonfuls of her meal to keep the smile off her face. She choked.

Megumi then chimed in, a seductive smile on her face while she grazed Kenshin's hand. "What about a woman who's soft, feminine, sultry?" She said.

Sanosuke rolled his eyes. "What, you mean you?" Megumi frowned.

"That sound nice too," Kenshin added in between them. Megumi shot Sanosuke a smirk, smug at the wanderer's compliment and Kaoru felt the high she was riding mere seconds ago die as quickly as it came, all of her confidence shot down. While she was trying to appear more feminine, Kenshin had never even thought of her as a woman. She couldn't out do the doctor in his eyes, it should have been obvious. Megumi had a better chance of gaining his attention than she did and from what could see in front of her, all of the doctor's tactics were working. It angered Kaoru, her blood boiling from the way the woman was flaunting her beauty and Sanosuke- that moron wasn't even trying to charm or court Megumi and allowed her flirt around! Just earlier they were on the verge of being stabbed to death for her behavior and here she was acting as if it never happened!

Unable to take the risque jokes Sanosuke was making and shameless way Megumi threw herself onto Kenshin any longer, Kaoru stood up and collected her dishes, dumping the rest of her meal onto the plate of the bottomless pit that was Yahiko and excused herself.

"I'm going to bathe," she said making her way around the table.

"This late?" Yahiko asked after her.

"The water will be cold are you sure you don't want to wait, Miss Kaoru?" Kenshin's kind voice floated through the space stopping her in her tracks. Megumi threw a taunt her way, stating it was past children's bed time and Kaoru didn't dare turn around less she punch the doctor square in her face.

"It's fine," she said full stop. Maybe she was too harsh since it wasn't necessarily his fault she was put out, but again, the doctor's pretty face was at stake here. So she stormed down the hall to the washroom.

Kenshin was right, the water just looked freezing, an oversight on Kaoru's part, but it was too late to back out now. It could heat while she washed and pinned her hair. She lit the fire under the tub, then quickly stripping and setting her clothes aside, dumped the wash bucket of water on her head, also freezing in temperature, the cold quickly drowning out any anger she had a moment ago. Again, and oversight on her part.

Once her hair was pinned neatly out of place, she stepped into what was now lukewarm liquid and settled down into the tub. Sighing, she rubbed her skin with the water, collecting her thoughts. The voices of her companions filtered in through the closed door filling the quiet the room had taken on and she splashed her face to clear her haze.

Immediately her thoughts went to Kenshin. She stared at her reflection in the water of the basin; out of prying eyes she wouldn't deny it, she felt something for him. Whether it was lust or love she still wasn't sure, but it was there and tangible. He was alluring, exotic in a way, different than anything she had seen, and the fire he lit deep in her belly was frightening and magnetic all at the same time. She wanted him to feel it too, to look at her the way he had in her dream, the way Sanosuke mentioned in his stories that sent heat to her core and turned her cheeks pink, but what would come of that? If Kenshin was to stay, what would he think of her? Kaoru didn't mind being close friends, yet she wanted more. If he pursed her then chose to leave, what would happen then? Could her reputation suffer that blow?

There where too many questions, the grey area blurring her logic and desire all in one.

Some time had passed and she was beginning to prune so she stood from the water and the door began to open. Kaoru nearly shrieked but the sound died upon seeing Megumi step inside.

"What are you doing?" She jumped behind the partition to hide her nakedness. Megumi giggled.

"I'm a doctor, your doctor to be exact. It's not like I haven't seen it before."

"Still to invade my privacy-"

"I realize that I have might have been... rude earlier today." Kaoru stared at her blankly. Was Megumi Takani trying to apologize? The doctor cleared her throat and continued. "While I still think you're a stupid girl, your quick thinking solved a problem so... good on you." It wasn't exactly a sincere expression but the pride she must have choked down to say it was probably enormous.

"Accepted," Kaoru said.

"I wasn't apologizing," Megumi spoke turning her nose up. Kaoru rolled her eyes while dropping her towel to dress in her gown and robe. "Anyway, you've been acting strange the last few days," her elder leaned against the door, her dark hair pulled over her shoulder, "not that you aren't strange in general, but Kenshin mentioned a bruising you received... are you feeling alright?"

It was uncharacteristic of Megumi to be this caring and Kaoru didn't buy it for a moment. The 'apology' was a peace offering and the doctor wanted something. "The bruising is fine, but with you and Sano getting into spats every few minutes it's bound to sour anyone's mood." Kaoru exited from behind the screen and sat in the chair to comb out her wet locks. "Aren't you two supposed to be getting along, considering you have feelings for him?" Her brush stopped momentarily, "or you found someone else to seduce? You are past marrying age after all." It was a low blow; whether Megumi felt affection for Sanosuke or not was besides the point, Kaoru had enough of the woman for the night.

Megumi laughed, a series of melodic bells that Kaoru hated. "I like to take my time to sort through the many suitors I have," teasing the younger as the lack of suitable propositions for her was a weak spot. "Does this have something to do with a certain red head?" The inquiry smacked the younger in the face and she nearly faltered in her nonchalant expression.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Please. It's written all over your face." Megumi shook her head and gave Kaoru a look of pity. The rudeness of it was unfathomable. "But you're better off with someone else."

At this, Kaoru stood up, demanding to know what Megumi's intentions truly were. "Why, you want him to yourself?"

The doctor smiled mischievously, "And if I do?" Kaoru's face burned with the blushing in her cheeks from anger at the provoking Megumi gave. How dare she think she could lay one finger on-

The doctor laughed again, this time harder and waved off Kaoru's threatening attitude. "My, that's a look I've never seen you make before!" She moved to the door and grasped the handle. "I don't want to be rude, but it's for your own good. A man like that needs a woman, with a name, not a little girl without one," then she sauntered out of the room, Sanosuke's booming voice asking if she needed escort home.

Kaoru fell back to her chair, shattered. They had always butted heads but never said anything as hurtful as tonight's exchange. Sure simple name calling, but to go to that extent, to bring up her soiled heritage to stake her claim on the wanderer...

She wiped a tear from her eye and took in a deep breath to calm herself.

'How cruel,' she thought and decided to hide out in the washroom a little longer in fear her emotional state be known to the others. When she felt relaxed enough to leave she quietly creaked the door open, peering into the darkness, only the soft glow of one candle resting in the fixture in the hall. Yahiko must have gone to bed as his door was closed but Kenshin's remained open, and the young woman wondered were he had gotten off to. Dread settle in her stomach at the thought of him with the doctor so she donned a pair of slippers and made her way to the front door.

Kenshin sat outside on the end walk, a favorite pastime of his, lightly caressing the scar on his face. Feeling relief, Kaoru pulled her robe tightly over her figure then sat down next to him. "Good evening Miss Kaoru. Won't you get cold like that?" he asked. She shook her head, smiling lightly and avoiding his gaze. "Are you sure you're alright Miss Kaoru?" He asked. Looking back at him now, his eyes were full of genuine worry as he studied her face- she hid away from them again not wanting her expression to betray her feelings. "This one wonders if he said anything to offend you that he does."

"No, it's not you," she shook her head and sighed. "I've just had a lot on my mind is all." She needed to change the subject; last thing Kaoru wanted was to appear whinny or like a child who complained from the smallest jabs at her pride. It would make her no better than Yahiko.

Shifting her hair to one side, she began speaking, twirling a dark lock around her finger. "You've been here a while Kenshin, and I just realized I never asked you about your family. You sure they aren't worried about you?" He looked away, his fringe shielding his face from her view and he settled against the post next to him.

"As a wanderer, I have no family. My name isn't something to be shared that it isn't," he spoke. Kaoru couldn't imagine a life without family, without at least one person to call kin. They weren't related by blood but Yahiko, Sanosuke, and even Megumi at times, they were what she had and all she knew. Not having anyone was a hard thing to swallow; had the man never met his parents? Had he no brothers no sisters? Where there not even lovers he had? She thought on that a moment before the next words left her mouth with a filter.

"It must be lonely," she bit her lip, cursing herself for not being more tactful. He was quiet and still didn't turn her way most likely put out by her statement. "I'm sorry. That was insensitive," she said trying to fix her mistake.

Kenshin then faced her, a light expression on his face but those amethyst eyes held a deeper look of sadness than they often portrayed. "It does feel that way sometimes." She didn't say anything else and it was another moment of silence before his voice floated out again. " Miss Kaoru, do you mind telling this one now? What your name is?" She looked away from those inquisitive eyes for they seemed to search the depths of her soul, an invasion of privacy she feared and enjoyed at the same time.

"It's..." she paused to take a breath and calm herself, "Niitsu. Kaoru Niitsu," she said softly. "I'm embarrassed by it. The name is so old it has no merit. Not even worth a proposal to a decent man." A soft sigh left her lips. She hadn't meant to tell him this, but there was a sense of trust she felt in him that she had to say something. "I didn't want you to think bad of me because of it."

"It's quite the opposite Miss Kaoru," the soft tenor of his voice spoke. " No matter what your name is, I could never think lesser of you that I could not." Her cheeks flamed and she kept her face hidden, in fear that he would see the shade of pink she took on. "And don't sell yourself short Miss Kaoru. Any man would be lucky to have you, that they would." This made her look at him; from the softness of his features and his kind smile she could his words were true. All her life she had never known acceptance and now here it was in the form of a simple wanderer. In that moment she felt seen, and perhaps even beautiful.

Her heart thumped as she couldn't break away from his gaze and immediately she regretted giving her uncle's surname as her own.

...

* * *

**Thanks for reading! **


End file.
